--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Songwriting is different from music…" description: "\"Songwriting is different from music, although I don't deny now that it would be nice to have a little more background in music theory.\" — Neil Diamond" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/neil-diamond-3621_background-music_songwriting-is-different-from-music-alth_2952681.png" --- # Songwriting is different from music, although I don't deny… ![“Songwriting is different from music, although I don't deny now that it would be nice to have a little more background in music theory.” quote by Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/neil-diamond-3621_background-music_songwriting-is-different-from-music-alth_2952681.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/neil-diamond-3621_background-music_songwriting-is-different-from-music-alth_2952681.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/neil-diamond-3621_background-music_songwriting-is-different-from-music-alth_2952681.png) > “Songwriting is different from music, although I don't deny now that it would be nice to have a little more background in music theory.” [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songwriting differs from music; he acknowledges needing more music theory knowledge. **In simple terms:** Songwriting isn’t the same as music. Key Takeaway Study theory to strengthen songwriting. Themes education craft music Mood thoughtful encouraging Type educational practical When to use this quote - writing lyrics - arranging - teaching Key Concepts theory composition skill development Questions to Reflect On - What theory topic would help you most? - How can you integrate theory without losing emotion? A Different Perspective Theory can be intimidating. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Background music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-music/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-music/) [Little Background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-background-4458237/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-theory/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Songwriting Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting-different-4458236/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) ## Related quotes > [Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/performing-is-the-easiest-part-of-what-i-do-and-songwriting-is-the/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [It's easy to get next to music theory, especially between your peers and music classes and so forth. You just pay attention. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/it-s-easy-to-get-next-to-music-theory-especially-between-your-peers/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I am just fascinated by music and I want to know how to identify all the things I love about it; to me music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-am-just-fascinated-by-music-and-i-want-to-know-how-to-identify-all/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I've never really been schooled in music theory. I'm a guitar player, and I attack the guitar in a certain way that it not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-borland/i-ve-never-really-been-schooled-in-music-theory-i-m-a-guitar-player/) [Wes Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-borland/) > [“So one might say that music killed him, that he was felled by music. It's a theory. String theory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/so-one-might-say-that-music-killed-him-that-he-was-felled-by-music-it/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [I always wanted to be a musician, 100 percent, my whole life. I went to school, I did music theory, I did voice training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adria-petty/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-musician-100-percent-my-whole-life-i-went-to/) [Adria Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adria-petty/) > [I was guided into piano lessons and 'guided' is a nice way of saying 'forced.' I don't regret it, but I think music theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-was-guided-into-piano-lessons-and-guided-is-a-nice-way-of-saying/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I had a drummer in my band who started teaching me tricks to come up with interesting rhythms. 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Music is nothing but unconscious arithmetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/the-pleasure-we-obtain-from-music-comes-from-counting-but-counting/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [I'm maybe too rude with myself but the fact is that I don't know music theory so I can't tell myself "it's ok now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilou/i-m-maybe-too-rude-with-myself-but-the-fact-is-that-i-don-t-know/) [Marilou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilou/) > [I think my knowledge of music theory is rooted in jazz theory, and a lot of the writers of standards - Rodgers and Hart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-think-my-knowledge-of-music-theory-is-rooted-in-jazz-theory-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-learned-to-play-by-ear-before-i-learned-music-theory-for-me-that/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [The joy of music should never be interrupted by a commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/the-joy-of-music-should-never-be-interrupted-by-a-commercial/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) ## More by Neil Diamond > [I don't feel I have to write deep and meaningful songs; they can be light and meaningless. It has to do with the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-write-deep-and-meaningful-songs-they-can-be/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [You can't plan to write a great song. It just happens to you. It drops in your lap. It's the same thing with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/you-can-t-plan-to-write-a-great-song-it-just-happens-to-you-it-drops/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [The cardinal rule for any performer is that they should know themselves before they enter the spotlight, and I didn't. I was just Neil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/the-cardinal-rule-for-any-performer-is-that-they-should-know/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [“BE Lost On a painted sky Where the clouds are hung For the poet's eye You may find him If you may find him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/be-lost-on-a-painted-sky-where-the-clouds-are-hung-for-the-poet-s-eye/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [Well, I Am... 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This, I decided, was the love all other loves were measured against. They say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-center/and-the-way-i-loved-her-was-like-nothing-else-this-i-decided-was-the/) [Katherine Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-center/) > [When I'm not doing readings, I just spend a lot of time alone and try to meditate. Going for walks in nature is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-henry/when-i-m-not-doing-readings-i-just-spend-a-lot-of-time-alone-and-try/) [Tyler Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-henry/) > [“The trouble with life is that, unlike movies, it doesn't have background music. We never know how we're supposed to feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-gardner/the-trouble-with-life-is-that-unlike-movies-it-doesn-t-have/) [Lewis Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-gardner/) > [One of the biggest challenges in the past for me in working on the networks was that audiences have grown accustomed to television being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-the-past-for-me-in-working-on-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I don't just sing the song, I also sing the background music and the guitar solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-just-sing-the-song-i-also-sing-the-background-music-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love when I reach Marcus on the phone and as he says hello, I can hear the music he's listening to in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-love-when-i-reach-marcus-on-the-phone-and-as-he-says-hello-i-can/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [First I think I was interested in the stories, and later on, I became more interested in the language itself, so the stories became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/first-i-think-i-was-interested-in-the-stories-and-later-on-i-became/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“My eyes pop out when I catch a glimpse of how much leg she's showing. She's wearing her shortest mini skirt, the one that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-caldwell/my-eyes-pop-out-when-i-catch-a-glimpse-of-how-much-leg-she-s-showing/) [Janine Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-caldwell/) > [“They were looking for a builder to construct the home they thought they wanted, but he was the architect, coming with a new plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/they-were-looking-for-a-builder-to-construct-the-home-they-thought/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“He never really voice pure, raw outrage to me about Watergate or what it represented. The crimes and abuses were background music. Nixon was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/he-never-really-voice-pure-raw-outrage-to-me-about-watergate-or-what/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [“« I guess I tend to think that important events should be solemn, and very grand, with muted violins playing in the background. It´s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-guess-i-tend-to-think-that-important-events-should-be-solemn-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The neo-conservative critics of leftist critics of mass culture ridicule the protest against Bach as background music in the kitchen, against Plato and Hegel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-neo-conservative-critics-of-leftist-critics-of-mass-culture/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [“One of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/one-of-the-tragedies-of-real-life-is-that-there-is-no-background-music/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [People sort of imagine Chris Morris and me sitting somewhere dark, with dripping taps and chilling background music. 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